The Day She Came to Me
by SydtheKid7234
Summary: Ame has been living in the forest for three years and is now 16. He loves his life in the forest, but he is lonely after years of isolation... until he meets her.
1. Chapter 1

I sprinted through the forest, the landscape whipped by in a blur as I slowly closed the gap between me and my prey. The wind ruffled my fur and brought the smell of the young rabbit to my nose. In one last push, I jumped onto the rabbit and quickly killed it, so it wouldn't suffer. I panted and my heart raced from the adrenaline pumping through me. I sat to catch my breath and stared up at the colored trees. They swayed gracefully in the wind, leaves fell around me, decorating the ground like a canvas and left the trees cold brown limbs to reach up tirelessly at the sky. I watched as bird flitted from tree to tree and squirrels scampering up and down branches in search of nuts to store for the winter. As I regained my breath, I got up, grabbed my prey in my mouth and began walking through the forest. The forest is my home, it is a living thing that is breathtakingly beautiful and deadly at the same time. And to survive, to live in that beauty, I am willing to risk the danger of dying. This is what it means to be alive. This is what is means to be a wolf.


	2. The First Encounter

So I'm FINALLY continuing the story. I kinda forgot about it and got wrapped up in school, but then I saw some reviews in my email so I decided to continue. I also haven't decided whether I just want to use the characters names or switch between perspectives and use "I" instead. If you guys have a suggestion just write a review and I'll take a look at it. Hope you enjoy!

Ame did his usual tour around the forest, checking the perimeter, searching for any change that could be a danger. He watched animals scurrying around, preparing for the winter. He sighed deeply, knowing that a cold, lonely winter would be ahead of him. There were very few animals that didn't hibernate in the forest so Ame's usual entertainment of watching the animals would be gone. Despite how beautiful winter was, Ame dreaded it because of the complete lack of interaction. It's not that he was lonely, he just happened to miss his mother's warm embrace and his squabbles with his sister more during the winter.

As his thoughts drifted to the topic of his dinner, in the back of his mind he registered a new sound, spurring him out of his day dreaming. He stopped, and pricked his ears, trying to identify the disruption.

It was humming.

The people living nearby rarely ever came into the forest so this was a puzzling, new situation to Ame and he had no idea how to deal with it. He followed the humming, creeping low, and soundless so not to be detected.

He discovered a young girl around his age, she was tall, with long brown hair and a ready smile. Ame noticed she had a camera hanging around her neck and a messenger's bag on her shoulder. He wondered if she was a tourist, or visiting a family member. She seemed to pose no threat so he continued to quietly observe her from behind the trees. She seemed enthralled by the nature around her, she took pictures of everything as quickly as she could as if the forest was about to disappear around her. Definitely a tourist Ame thought.

Then, she suddenly stopped and let her camera hang around her neck. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as if to savor the beautiful forest around her. Ame quietly moved to get a better look of the mysterious girl, and her eyes shot open. She immediately looked in Ame's direction, not seeing him because of the trees, but looking in his exact location, as if she could sense his presence. Ame shivered, getting a chill from the probing gaze.

Unknown to the girl, they locked eyes for a brief moment and he realized her eyes were hazel alight with curiosity and humor. She had a very open face that seemed to communicate every passing thought she had. She seemed to feel uncomfortable at the sense of something moving silently behind the trees, but was curious about what it was. Her curiosity had won out and she began to approach Ame's general direction. Ame panicked not knowing what to do when he heard a peculiar noise that, after a moment of searching his memory, he identified as a cell phone.

The girl opened her bag stuck her hand in, searching blindly for the phone, the mysterious shadow forgotten. After a minute of struggling she grabbed it and pulled it out. Ame watched as she read the text message, got a worried look on her face and then jogged back the way she came. He decided not to follow her and watched her trip over a tree root in her rush. She quickly got up and dusted herself off, paying more attention to her surroundings as she dodged trees. Ame wondered what happened to get her so worried, but quickly dismissed any thoughts of her from his head.

It would do him no good to get involved with her.


	3. The Strangest Minute

Thank you, to the people that wrote reviews and favorited my story. I really appreciate it and it encourages me to write the next chapter. I hope you enjoy and continue to give me your support!

It was a chilly morning, a light frost covered the ground. Ame was quietly resting in a small clearing in the forest, basking in a warm patch of sunlight. It was a particularly boring day, and Ame had nothing to do but nap, which inevitably led his thoughts to her. It had been a week since the encounter with the mysterious girl. He tried to push her into the back of his mind, to forget her, but every time he let his guard down, she would appear again. Her probing eyes sent shivers down his spine and her face of pure bliss seemed to fit perfectly into the surroundings. As if she was meant to be there.

He scowled in meaningless protest at his own subconscious. He rolled over as if to turn himself away from his thoughts, and willed himself to sleep. As a cloud drifted in front of the sun, he fell into a deep sleep, enjoying the cool air.

He was so relaxed, that he didn't notice the quiet approach of someone coming up the mountain, until they were just on the edge of the tree line of his clearing. He heard a quiet gasp which took a few moments to register in his sleepy brain. Then, his head shot up, alert to the intruder.

It was the girl.

She stared, eyes wide at Ame. Ame was paralyzed beneath her gaze. Both of them, unable to move, gaped at each other for a moment. Ame took in her brown winter jacket, jeans and boots. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail with a few strands blowing into her face as if she rushed putting it up. Her ever present camera dangled around her neck and Ame noticed her gulping heavily. He was not sure if it was out of fear or simple nervous surprise. He secretly hoped for the latter.

The girl, observed the beautiful beast before her. His coat was a mix of dark blue and platinum, with white covering his belly. He had a cute dark spot on the tip of one of his ears. But what drew her in most was his eyes. His eyes seemed to see right through her. She lost herself in that deep amber color.

She knew she should be afraid of being attacked. But she wasn't afraid. She was comforted by those amber eyes. She felt at home in the presence of the wolf.

Unthinkingly, she started to slowly approach him. Her movement startled Ame out of his stupor and he retreated slightly. But other than that he made no move to get away. For some reason he was planted in place, unable to move, to even breathe.

She slowly moved toward him, seconds felt like hours and feet felt like miles as she closed the gap. Her arm was outstretched, reaching out to him.

As she got closer Ame noticed little details, how her hair glittered with gold streaks in the sun, her rosy cheeks and nose from the cold, and her eyes, with rings of brown and green surrounding her pupil and a dark blue at the very edge of her iris.

As he observed the subtle details in her eyes, he realized that she was mere inches from him. Her outstretched hand trembled slightly, with adrenaline and nervousness as she got closer. He didn't move, he couldn't. Her mere presence awed him and terrified him at the same time. He never felt like such a slave to his emotions.

They both held their breath as her fingertips finally brushed against the ends of his fur.

She hesitated, almost pulled away, but then gathered her resolve and put her hand on his neck.

He was warm. She could feel the heat coming off of his skin. His fur was soft and smooth.

Ame could feel her breathe on his nose. She was overwhelming his senses. She smelled like cinnamon and old books. He could hear her nervous breathing. The feeling of her hand made Ame's neck burn hot.

Intent on getting away from the burning feeling, he quickly stood and ran to the tree line. He turned around to see the shocked and disappointed look on her face. He was tempted to run back and feel that burning touch again, but he persevered. He turned away and ran as fast as he could. Away from the clearing, away from the girl, away from the burning touch.

The girl, still in shock from their contact and his sudden exit, sat on her knees in the clearing. With her hand still outstretched and her eyes looking in the direction he ran off to. She had never felt a connection like that with anyone or anything except now. She was drawn to the wolf, like she wanted to be by its side forever. After a while, she finally rose, and stumbled back down the mountain still reeling at the encounter.

That was the strangest minute of her life.

NEXT CHAPTER HINT: I plan on having some dialog in the next chapter and WE FINALLY REVEAL THE MYSTERIOUS GIRL'S NAME! I'm excited about the next chapter so I'll probably write it ASAP.


	4. One Big Awkward Moment

Hey everyone! Sorry this chapter is so late, I got kinda busy and it took longer than I thought to pick names for the new characters. After a recommendation, I tried making this chapter longer than the others, but its still sorta tough for me. My creativity comes in short bursts XD. I hope you continue to give me your support and enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Ame quietly sat at the tree line, staring at the tranquil house. His eyes followed his mother as she bustled around the house. He had been anxious lately and seeing his mom always calmed him down.

Every other week, Ame comes to check on Hana from the tree line to make sure she's okay. However, he only speaks to her a few times a year. He rarely visits in fear of his mother getting too attached and asking him to stay with her. He doesn't want to upset his mom again. What if she chases him into the forest? What is she hurts herself? Ame couldn't live with himself if anything happened to her.

Although he acts tough and independent, he worries for his mother constantly. With Yuki at boarding school, Hana is living in these isolated mountains by herself. Ame still feels guilty for leaving his mother and sister behind.

He's only seen his sister once since he left. When she found out that he had run off, she took off into the forest and gave Ame a good pounding when she found him. She yelled at him relentlessly for upsetting Hana. Once she tired herself out, she hugged Ame with all of her might and sprinted back down the mountain. Ame didn't even get a word in.

Although the forest called to him, it was a difficult decision to pick the forest over his family. He had always been anti social, but his family cared for him more than anyone and he missed their love and their smiles...he missed his family.

As Ame's thoughts wandered, two people approached the house. He immediately focused and observed them. He relaxed when he saw that it was two women, one carrying a small tray with cookies on it. They walked up to the house and greeted Hana. Hana took the tray from them and went inside, returning a few minutes later with a tray of tea and the cookies. Ame began to walk up to the house to hear their conversation. As he got closer he heard bits and pieces of what was being said.

"...came to introduce ourselves..."

"...just moved..."

"...beautiful countryside..."

"It seems their new to the neighborhood", Ame thought.

"...sick in bed..."

Ame was puzzled when he heard that, but he couldn't hear what else was said.

When he was about halfway to the house, an oddly familiar smell hit his nose. It smelled like...

cinnamon and old books.

Ame narrowed his eyes at the younger girl and almost fell in surprise...

it was the girl from the forest!

He froze, his heart pounding in his throat as he stared at her.

His mind was completely blank. If he had thumbs, he'd pinch himself to see if this was actually happening. First the forest, and now his house?! Ame was tempted to run into the forest and jump in the coldest river he could find, but he hesitated.

He might not get another chance like this to see her.

Before his mind had made a decision, his body snuck to the side of house, and transformed into human form. He walked to the front and approached the three women. The older woman saw him first and smiled.

"I didn't know you had any kids, Hana!"

"Kids...?" Hana questioned.

She turned around and nearly spilt her tea when she saw Ame. She gaped like a fish at him as he walked up. Ame smiled guiltily to her, then turned his gaze to the girl. When their eyes met, every moment they had in the forest flashed through Ame's mind and he did his best not to blush.

As he approached, the three women got up and Hana gathered enough of her sanity to introduce Ame.

"This is my youngest, Ame. His older sister Yuki is in boarding school right now."

Ame politely bowed to the two women and they bowed back. The older woman spoke up first,

"Hi! We just moved in about two miles down the road. I'm Asuka, and this is my niece Haru."

Asuka was an inch or two taller than Haru, with black hair, cut boy short. She had blue eyes and slight crinkles around her mouth from smiling. The only similarities about them was their height and their smiles.

As Asuka was speaking, Haru slowly approached Ame, staring intently at his face. Ame looked over at her and backed away slightly with a little blush on his face.

"Have we...met before?"

Ame was in utter shock. She couldn't recognize him, it was impossible. She's only ever seen him in his wolf form.

Haru couldn't place it, but she could swear she had seen those eyes before. Those amber eyes that seemed to draw her in.

Hana's eyes flicked nervously between the two of them, utterly confused and bewildered at the tense atmosphere.

Suddenly, Asuka started laughing loudly, breaking the pin drop silence and causing the other three to jump.

"HAHAHA! You've only just met him and you're already hitting on him? I underestimated you Haru, you work fast!"

Asuka threw her arm over Haru's shoulder leaned on her as she laughed. Haru's face lit up with a blush and turned to yell at her aunt.

"That's not what I meant! I really thought I had seen him before! Stop laughing!"

Asuka reigned in her laughter as Ame and Hana stared in shock.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm only teasing you. You don't have to get so upset."

Haru glared at her aunt, then stole a glance at Ame. When their eyes met, they both quickly looked away and blushed. Asuka, taking a hint at the atmosphere, dragged Hana off yelling something about a tour of the house.

Ame was reminded of an energetic squirrel that frequently falls out of trees in the forest.

After Hana and Asuka left, they both stood awkwardly, avoiding each other's eyes. Finally, Haru cleared her throat and looked up at Ame.

"Ummm...How long have you lived here?"

Ame somehow made his mouth form a reply.

"Since I was kid. We lived in the city when I was really young, but I don't remember much of it."

"Do you go to school around here?"

Ame tensed at the memory and Haru looked at him questioningly.

"I did for a few years, but it didn't really work out."

Haru didn't pry on his weird attitude. Instead she relaxed and sat down to drink some of her tea. Ame sat down on the other side of the table, stiff with nervousness.

"Uh... Is it just you and your aunt in your family?"

"No, my mother and younger siblings are also with us. I have a brother and sister, they're twins. They were so exhausted from the move, so we left them at home and came to greet the neighbors by ourselves."

Ame gazed at her and saw a smile on her face from the thought of them. He blushed slightly and hurriedly spoke.

"W-Why did you guys move here?"

He saw her whole body tense and the smile disappear from her face. She was quiet for a few moments and opened her mouth to speak.

"We..."

At that moment Asuka and Hana burst into the room, Asuka chattering nonstop and hanging onto Hana.

Ame and Haru both jumped in shock at their sudden entrance, and stared while they sat down. Hana looked exhausted, while Asuka smiled happily. Haru giggled at the contrast of their expressions.

While Hana recovered, the other three chatted and ate some of their tea and cookies. They talked aimlessly for a while, until a thought suddenly occurred to Haru and she turned to Hana.

"That reminds me, I wanted to ask. Do you know anything about wolves living in the area?"

Ame choked on his tea and Asuka started pounding his back unnecessarily while he coughed loudly. Hana simply froze in place.

"Why are you asking about wolves?" Asuka questioned.

"Uhhh... I just heard a rumor that wolves lived nearby, that's all."

Ame wondered why she lied. Was there any reason to?

Hana composed herself and answered with a slightly shaky voice.

"Nope, no wolves live here. That's absolutely impossible."

Asuka and Haru looked at each other, weirded out by their behavior, but didn't question it.

After that, the atmosphere was extremely awkward, so Asuka and Haru headed home, claiming that they had lunch waiting for them.

Hana and Ame waved at them from the porch until they disappeared from sight. Hana sat down quietly at the table, and Ame prepared for the absolute shit-storm of questions he was about to get.

"Ame..."

He winced and slowly turned around with his eyes glued to the floor.

"Welcome home."

Ame jolted in surprise and looked up to see a smile on his mom's face. He smiled back and kneeled down to give her a hug. She squeezed the breath out of him and whispered quietly in his ear.

"...You are in so much trouble"

Well...he couldn't get away now.

* * *

It took me a realllllly long time to decide on Haru's names. I wanted the girl's name to match Ame. Haru means "sun" and "spring" in Japanese and Ame means "rain". I've already picked out the names for the other characters and Im super excited to introduce them. Reviews greatly appreciated and thanks for reading!


	5. Coincidence or Fate?

Finally finished this chapter! I left it half done for a while and its been guilt tripping me. I got a review saying my translation of Haru was wrong, sorry. I got it from a Japanese name site. I probably should've double checked the translations. Well, lesson learned. Thanks to everyone who wrote a review or followed/favorited the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter of _The Day She Came to Me_.

* * *

Ame lay stretched out on the porch with a worn sweater and baggy sweatpants on. He watched the snow slowly fall and cover the ground with a pristine, white blanket. Normally, he'd be freezing now, but his time in the forest has gotten him used to the cold and his mind was so preoccupied he wasn't fully aware of his surroundings.

Ame flinched back when a sudden warm steam hit his face, and he realized his mom put a hot cup of tea and a plate of cookies in front of him. That's definitely one of the things he had missed about living as a human,

The food.

After a while, all his prey started to taste the same, and sometimes left a bad taste in his mouth.

Can't beat the fun of a chase though.

His mouth watered at the sight of the cookies and he was tempted to shove them all down his throat at once.

"Careful Ame, you don't want your droll to freeze to your face, do you?"

Ame paused at Hana's words, and quickly wiped the drool that was hanging out of his mouth and threatening to drip into his tea. Hana smiled at him endearingly, but then gave a heavy sigh as she walked back over to the kitchen.

Ame's conversation with Hana had not gone well after Haru and Asuka left.

"Ame why are you visiting now? You rarely ever visit me"

"I-I was just feeling a little homesick"

Which wasn't entirely untrue, but Hana knew better.

"Tell me the truth Ame"

"...I was just...interested"

"In what?"

"Her"

Considering how tight-lipped Ame is, that one word was an accomplishment. Hana knew that it was rare for him to take an interest in people. Ame took the "lone wolf" analogy all too literally.

Hana assumed "her", was referred to Haru. However she couldn't think of a reason why he would be interested in her. Although, one thing Haru said stuck out to her.

She had asked about wolves.

Hana knew Ame was the only wolf in the area. Had she seen Ame in the forest? Or was it really just a rumor? Maybe she was overthinking it.

She was frustrated with Ame's refusal to elaborate. She felt completely excluded from his life, and that was hard for her. After their father died, her kids became her everything, her whole existence revolved around them. And then...they were just gone.

She wanted to be happy for him, but she missed him and worried for him constantly. She gave another heavy sigh, and then put her best smile back on as she walked back out to the porch.

"Why don't you take a trip to the nature center?"She said while sitting down next to him.

"They asked me about how you were doing recently and I'm sure they'd enjoy seeing you."

After Ame quit school he had spent a decent amount of time at the nature center. He made friends with some of the staff and now he felt sort of bad that he never said anything to them when he left. It's not like he was really close to them or anything, but they were some of the few people he interacted with when he was a kid.

"Yeah, I'll head over there."

"Well hurry or you'll miss the next bus!"

Ame got up and pulled on his boots and jacket. Hana fussed over him and insisted he put a hat on. After a minute of protests, Ame finally caved and pulled the hat on over his head. His mom waved him off from the warmth of the house as he walked down the hill.

Ame watched as the bus pulled up, but walked right past the bus stop. He'd rather walk in the cold, then take the bus and risk getting stuck in it with someone he'd rather not see. He'd rather avoid the probing questions from nosy neighbors, wondering where he has been all this time.

The landscape was impossibly still. The only things that moved was the snow as it slowly fell to the ground. Every creak of the snow under his feet made him flinch. He was so used to silent movement and the clunky boots were making that practically impossible.

Ame continued to walk for a while, until he saw a small side road veering off. The road was barely big enough for a car and was towered over by tall trees with looming branches. He had never noticed this road before. Something about it pulled him in and he began to walk up the narrow path.

He trudged through the snow, wincing at every clunky, ungraceful step, until the trees opened up and an old house came into view. It looked like a smaller version of his own house and he wondered why he didn't know about it when it was so close. There was a small pond next to the house that was completely frozen over. He could see three people playing in the snow in front of the house. Two kids, and one teenage girl. The two kids ran around and giggled as their pursuer pegged them with snowballs. One of the kids tripped and fell prey to intense tickling. The other jumped on top of the teen, and struggled to stay on, while the tickle victim saw their chance and grabbed onto the teens neck, hanging on for dear life. The teen ran and bucked and fell to the ground playfully, wrestling with the kids.

Ame now recognized the teen as Haru. He was tempted to leave before he was seen, but it was already too late. Haru had seen Ame out of the corner of her eye and quickly stood, extracting the kids from her body. She walked over with a slight blush on her face from being caught playing with the kids. However when she got closer, Ame could see she was smiling too.

"Hi Ame! What's up?"

"Ah, I-I was just taking a walk when I saw this side road. I-I didn't realize it was your driveway."

Ame was extremely uncomfortable with the fact that he had accidentally gone to Haru's house. He wasn't exactly a 'social butterfly' and these situations gave him minor palpitations, especially in the presence of Haru.

While Haru seemed to be friendly and had decent social skills, Ame struggled to keep up. He was fine before since his mom and the chatty Asuka were there, but now it was just the two of them and the fact that the two kids were staring intensely at him was not helping.

Haru noticed the kids staring and beckoned them over. Ame had already guessed that the two kids were the twin siblings she mentioned earlier, but now it was obvious with the sibling similarities.

The boy had brown hair like Haru, while the girl had black hair that went down to her shoulders. All three siblings had the same hazel eyes that pierced into you though, which was a weird look for young kids. They looked four or five, and had matching blue jackets and hats with a cute puff ball at the top.

When the kids walked into her range, Haru grabbed one in each arms while the kids laughed and squealed at her.

"These little munchkins are Hayato and Sayuri"

She jostled each one around when she said their name and they giggled while grabbing her jacket and trying to wiggle out of her grasp.

She put them down and watched them run off to play in the snow.

"Do you want to come in? I can make some hot chocolate."

"Eh? Oh, you don't have to do that. I don't want to be a bother."

She giggled at his polite refusal.

"You treated Asuka and I so well last time, I'm just repaying the favor. Besides, there is someone who wants to meet you."

Haru grabbed his hand and pulled him up to the house. Ame barely kept up, doing his best not to face plant into the snow. 'damn she walks fast.'

Her hand felt warm compared to his chilled hands. Like she had been holding her hands in front of a heater, even though she had just been playing the snow.

Little did he know that Haru's face was a bright shade of red, as she realized that she had grabbed his hand without thinking.

Maybe they were more alike than he thought.

* * *

This chapter is a bit shorter than I was planning, but I wanted to leave the next character introduction for the next chapter. I'll get started on it and hopefully have the next chapter up soon. Hayato (supposedly) means, 'falcon' and 'person'. Sayuri (supposedly) means 'small' and 'lily'. Please tell me if these are wrong :P. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and continue to support me!


	6. A Warm Winter Day

Hi everyone! Sorry this update is so late, I've been so busy with school and applying for college. This chapter was originally going to be longer, but I really wanted to publish as soon as possible. Thanks for 50 followers! I hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Ame quietly pulled off his boots and jacket, relishing the freedom, while Haru chased the twins around, trying to get their shoes off. The house looked like his own for the most part.

It simply had more toys and less space.

Haru finally wrestled the twins out of their snow gear and they took off into the house chasing each other with unrelenting energy.

Haru gave an exasperated sigh and led Ame into the kitchen. She pulled out five mugs and began to make the hot chocolate.

"Five mugs? Is Asuka-san home?"

"No, Asuka is away at work. My mother is in her room. She's the one I want you to meet."

Ame immediately felt anxious at the thought.

Then something occured to him.

'Why is her mother staying in her room on such a beautiful day when her kids are playing outside?'

Sayuri and Hayato ran in, and he dismissed the thought. He must be overthinking it.

The twins ran and danced around Haru as she put the finishing touches on the hot chocolate. She sat them at the table, gave them their hot chocolate and kissed them both on the top of the head in a motherly way.

She reminded him of his mother and he felt a dull ache in his heart when he remembered running away from that kind, never ending love Hana gave him.

Haru gave Ame his mug and then led him away to another room. The room was dimly lit, with paintings lining the walls and a bed over by the window. One painting was drying over some newspapers in a corner.

'So she's a painter...'

He was about to turn away, but something made him do a double take.

In the painting there was a wolf. A wolf that seemed to be Ame. The fur coloration was exactly the same. How did she paint this? Did Haru describe me to her? No it's way too exact.

As Ame's thoughts reeled, Haru walked over to the bed. Ame snapped out of it. Now was not the time to be thinking about this, he'd have to ask Haru later.

A woman was sitting up in bed staring out the window. She had long brown hair and blue eyes. Except for her eyes, she looked just like Haru.

She smiled when he looked over and Haru gave her the hot chocolate. Ame awkwardly stood in the doorway, unsure of whether to walk over or not. Haru beckoned him over and he inched his way to the bed.

"This is my mother, Mizuki. Mom, this is Ame. He lives up the road with his mother, Hana."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Ame."

"N-nice to meet you too, ma'am"

He abruptly bowed and nearly spilled his cup of hot chocolate. Haru and Mizuki giggled while Ame tried to fight down the blush on his face.

He looked over the bedside table and noticed several medications lying there. His natural assumption was that Mizuki was sick. But another thing also caught his eye. Haru's camera was on the table also.

Ame was pulled out of his thoughts when he realized Mizuki was talking.

"So Ame, how long have you lived here?"

"Oh, uhhhh..."

* * *

After answering several questions, Haru insisted that he must leave before his jaw starts to ache. He said goodbye and Haru led him the front door where he put on his boots and coat.

"I'll walk you to the end of the driveway."

"Oh! Sure, that'd be gr-ice"

'Did I really just say 'grice'?' Ame mentally kicked himself, but Haru didn't comment. She got a grave look on her face as they walked away from the house.

The atmosphere was tense, and Haru kept her gaze on the ground. Something seemed to be bothering her. Her drastic change from cheerful to depressed put Ame on edge. Haru began to speak and Ame tensed.

"My father...died when Mom was 5 months pregnant. He was a martial arts instructor. He was walking home from work when he saw a mugging. He intervened and got shot. He was rushed to the hospital, but he didn't make it."

Ame was silent. Haru's sudden outburst left him speechless. Should he say something?

"The birth of the twins was really hard on Mom's body and she fell ill afterwards. We moved in with Asuka and she has been taking care of us ever since. I was looking after the kids and Mom was resting. It was okay for a while, but the doctor said her body was under too much stress. He suggested that we move away from the city and live in a more rural area with less crowds and noise. So...here we are."

Ame stared at her, still processing what she said. He felt a strong connection to her story and wanted to offer some sort of comfort.

"My father died when I was a baby. My mom was left to take care of two rambunctious kids all alone. We encountered some...problems in the city so we decided to move here. It was tough on my mom, but...she managed to pull through. She's a lot stronger than she looks."

When he stopped talking, he realized Haru had stopped walking and was several feet behind him. She she stared at him in shock and awe. Then, she gave him her brightest smile.

"Thank you Ame."

Ame felt like the wind got knocked out of him when he saw her smile. He had difficulty breathing and his heart rate sky rocketed. He felt warm all the way to his toes. Haru walked right by him like she didn't just cause an apocalypse in his brain.

As he was trying to catch his breath, a snowball slammed into the back of his head. He whipped around to see Haru grinning mischievously at him, holding another snowball in her hand.

Ame glared at her in slight annoyance. She was totally oblivious to her affect on him. He hurriedly made a snowball and pegged her with it. She gasped and they playfully glared at each other.

Then...it was all out war.

They ran and dodged, trying to hit the other. As Ame was gathering up snow, Haru dumped an armful of snow on his head. In return he chased her, while throwing snowballs at her.

Eventually, they both collapsed in the snow, gasping for breath and giggling.

"I don't know how the twins keep this up"

Haru said in between breaths. Ame laughed at her and relished in the cold feeling penetrating his whole body. He felt something he couldn't quite describe...something he hadn't felt in a long time.

"That's nice"

"What is?"

"Your laugh."

Ame blushed at her words and then it hit him what the feeling was...

Happiness.

He felt light and unburdened. In that moment, the world was perfect and he wanted to stay like that forever...lying in the snow, breathless, next to the girl that was the whole reason for his smile.

Suddenly, a horn blared and they jumped out of their skin. They both looked up to see Asuka slyly grinning at them from her car.

"Am I interrupting something?"

* * *

Thank you for reading! The next chapter should be up soon. This is my first fanfiction and I'm not much of a writer, so critiques, recommendations, and reviews are appreciated! Thank you to those who are supporting me and writing reviews. It's a little late but, Happy New Year!


End file.
